Penny For Your Thoughts
by leoslady4ever
Summary: GaLu Week: Day 5 - COMMUNICATION *** Gajeel feels something for Lucy, but he refuses to do anything about. One mission and several spells later, and he won't be able to keep it to himself.


_This one was so much fun to write! I hope it makes you laugh your asses off! :D_

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**_GaLu Week: Day 5 - COMMUNICATION_**

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_**Hiro Mashima** owns Fairy Tail._

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**PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS**

Gajeel and Lily stepped through the doors of Fairy Tail to the smell of Mira's home cooking. It had been a long day with an equally long mission. The guy they'd been hunting was an elusive bastard, spitting out spells and then disappearing. It had been annoying as hell, but in the end, they'd kicked his ass and headed home.

Now all Gajeel wanted to do was get something to eat and relax. He followed Lily to the bar, taking a seat near the end just as Mira walked up to get their orders. "I'll take my usual. What do you want Lily?"

"I just want some kiwis," the cat said, settling on the counter beside Gajeel.

Mira gave them both a bright smile, then headed to the back. It wasn't long before she was coming back with a steaming bowl of stew for Gajeel and a plate of kiwi slices for Lily. "You want some metal to go with that, Gajeel?"

Nodding at the woman, Gajeel did a sweep of the room, looking for a head of golden hair. He'd almost decided that she wasn't there when he caught sight of her huddled up with Levy behind a large book. He watched for a moment, then forced himself to look away before Mira got back._ That's all he needed...the Matchmaker finding out._

He focused on his food, ignoring Lily's pointed look, and before long Mira had returned with a plate of his favorite metal. He grunted his thanks, almost telling her that she made the best food in all of Fiore, when he shook his head in confusion. _Why the hell was he feeling the urge to say that? _

"So Gajeel...guess who asked me where you were today?" Mira sang, a large grin plastered across her face.

He sighed, knowing what was coming. The woman never could leave him alone about this. No matter how many times he had told her it wasn't happening, she always came back to Levy. "I'm not interested-"

The excited woman cut him off, leaning forward to chirp, "It was Levy! I just know she likes you! Why don't you ask her out already?"

"He doesn't like Levy," Lily said casually, his attention divided between the conversation and his food. "He likes Lucy." The words had barely left his mouth when he turned horrified eyes to his partner. His little paw flew over his mouth, and he mumbled, "Why did I say that?"

Gajeel could only stare at his cat in shock. Had he really just told Mira that? This couldn't be happening...this could not be fucking happening to him. For a moment - just an instant - he considering hauling ass, and if it had been anyone else listening to Lily's confession, he may have had a chance. But Mira...he didn't have a prayer of getting past her.

Mira gaped at the Exceed, then turned her attention back to the flabbergasted man. "Is that true, Gajeel? You like Lucy?"

_Like I'm going to tell you_, Gajeel thought smugly, then promptly said, "Yes." His eyes widened as the simple word slipped from his mouth. _Why had he said yes? Why the hell had he told her the truth?_

The white-haired woman squealed, clasping her hands together and dancing around in a circle, causing Gajeel to groan and drop his head into his hands. There was no telling what the woman would do with this information now. He'd had to deal with endless inquiries into his personal life when she'd only suspected that he was interested in Levy. Now that he'd admitted who he actually liked, she was going to be impossible.

"Oh, I can't wait to tell Lucy!" Mira gushed happily.

His head snapped up at her statement. "You can't tell her that!" he argued, shaking his head frantically. _She couldn't be serious. __She couldn't honestly be thinking about telling__..._ The thought trailed off as his eyes caught sight of Lucy standing up from her seat and heading towards the bathroom. _Shit, she__ was__ gorgeous. _

Mira glanced over at his bemused face and smirked. _How in the world had she missed that in the past?_ "Oh you've got it bad," she laughed. "I can't believe I didn't see it before now."

Pulling his gaze back to the woman behind the bar, he frowned. "Don't say anything to her about this." He'd realized long ago that he didn't have a chance with a girl like Lucy. She was too good for him, and there was just too much bad history between them. It could never work.

"Why would you say that?" Mira asked, her expression sad as she reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Lucy doesn't think that way. She doesn't hold that against you anymore. You should know that by now."

He blinked at her in confusion, wondering if she had read his mind when a thought struck him. _Had he said all that stuff out loud?_ What the hell was going on with him today? He couldn't seem to keep his thoughts to himself. "I'm going home," he muttered, stepping away and letting her hand drop. "See ya."

Without another word, he walked away. He needed to get out of here before he told anyone else something private. He didn't know what was going on, but it was obvious that something wasn't right. He'd never normally talk about all that shit. Hell, he hadn't even told Panther Lily why he wouldn't ask Lucy out. _Maybe that mage had done something to him._

"Gajeel?"

The Dragon Slayer swallowed hard, recognizing that soft voice instantly, then raised his head. And there she stood, the person he'd been hoping to avoid. "Yeah?" he asked gruffly.

"You're already leaving?" Lucy tilted her head in question, her brow furrowed with confusion. "Didn't you just get here?"

"Yeah, but Mira's being obnoxious," he answered without thinking. He jerked his head around, making sure the barmaid was nowhere around to hear what he'd just said about her. He couldn't believe he'd just done that. _Was looking to die today?_

Lucy's eyes widened at his rather frank statement, but her lips lifted in an understanding smile. "What'd she do?"

"Trying to get me to date Shorty."

Her smile faltered a bit as she stammered, "O-Oh."

"Already told that woman I don't like Shrimp that way," he muttered quickly, then added, "I like-" He clapped a hand over his mouth before the words come out. _What the fuck was going on with him?! _

She studied him for a moment, waiting for him to finish his statement, but the longer he remained silent, the more antsy she seemed to become. She shifted nervously, her hands unconsciously tugging at her skirt, drawing his eyes down to her shapely legs. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy looking at them, but it also bothered the hell out of him. He hated that he wasn't the only man checking her out.

"Um...are you okay?" she asked, shuffling her feet aimlessly. "You seem a little...out of it today."

He dropped his hand to tell her he was fine, to assure her that nothing was wrong, but that wasn't what came out of his mouth. "I'd be better if your skirt wasn't so damn short." _Holy shit..._

Her eyebrow raised at his harsh response, and she looked down at herself. "What? You don't like it?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder as she smoothed her hands down the back of her skirt. "It's not that short..."

_Just shut up...just shut up._ "I like it too damn much," he growled, then rolled his eyes at himself. He could not believe he had just told her that.

"You like it? So...you don't think it's too short?" She blinked up at him uncertainly, as if she were trying to figure out what he meant.

"How could I not like the damn thing? It makes your legs look fucking amazing," he muttered. _No! Shut the hell up!_ But his brain wouldn't listen, and his mouth continued to dig himself a deeper hole. "And that's why it's too damn short! Every man in here is checking you out!"

Gajeel wanted to sink into the floor. He couldn't figure out why he couldn't retain his silence. He'd never had a problem before. So why now? Why now, when he really needed to keep his mouth shut?

Lucy gazed up at him with those big brown eyes, and then she bit her lip. It was more than enough to break his tenuous hold on his tongue, and he murmured, "You are so goddamn hot." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself, and he groaned. _She was going to kill him..._ "What the hell am I saying?"

"So...you think I'm...hot?" Lucy's lips lifted infinitesimally at his admission.

Damn her, she was enjoying this. "You know what? I gotta go." He spun on his heel and stomped the remaining distance to the door. He couldn't wait for this day to be done. It had to be the single most embarrassing situation he'd ever found himself in, and he still couldn't figure out what the hell had happened.

He'd barely made it out the door and around the corner, when he heard Lucy call his name. He sighed wearily, but still came to a stop. It appeared his tongue wasn't the only thing he couldn't control. "What is it?" he asked as she pulled up beside him.

"Did you mean that? About thinking I'm hot?"

Her face was strangely serious in spite of the question she'd just asked, and once again, he found he couldn't resist answering. "Of course I meant it. Have you looked at yourself lately?"

The blonde shifted, tucking her hair behind her ear in an almost shy gesture. "Um...does that...does that mean you think about me sometimes?"

"Every fucking day," he said and immediately wanted to smack himself. _Did she really need to know that he thought about her all the time? _

Her eyes all but sparkled at his response, and she inched close enough for her scent to overwhelm him. "So, you...like me?"

Without conscious thought, he nodded his head, but he couldn't help but wonder where she was going with this. Had she figured out that he couldn't seem to avoid telling her the truth? Was that even possible?

"And you like the way I look..." she continued, crossing her arms under her chest.

Before he knew it, he was licking his lips and agreeing with her suggestion. _Damn it...she knew exactly what she was doing._ She'd just pushed her luscious tits together, knowing he wouldn't be able to keep from looking. It had to be on purpose.

His suspicion was further confirmed when she grinned cheekily and began toying with the top button of her shirt. "And...if I said you could do anything you wanted with me, what would you do?"

Gajeel's mouth fell open in shock, his mind stalling with her bold question. Was she serious? He wasn't even sure how to respond to that. Maybe just make a move? He shouldn't have worried about what to do, because his mouth was apparently having no trouble figuring things out. "I'd strip you naked and take the whole damn night to kiss you and taste you and fuck you."

He watched as her eyes widened, and he wondered if he'd finally gone too far in his honesty. Had he pushed her away, scared her off with his blatant desire for her?

Then she bit her lip again, taking a moment to scan his body with her eyes before her lips lifted in a sexy smile. "So when do we start?"

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**_Oh how I love these two together... Come join us for GaLu Week - write or draw...whatever you want. Just try something! :D_**

**1. DATE**

**2. TRUST**

**3. TOUCH**

**4. LONELY**

**5. COMMUNICATION**

**6. GUILT**

**7. SECRETS**


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